March 22, 2024

Derevyanchenko expects Canelo to avoid him, wonders if GGG will do the same

By Boxingnews24.com

By Dan Ambrose: IBF mandatory challenger Sergiy Derevyanchenkosuspects that Saul Canelo Alvarez will avoid fighting him, and he hopes Gennady Golovkin won’t do the same thing. This past week, the International Boxing Federation ordered IBF middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez (52-1-2, 35 KOs) to start negotiations with #1 ranked Derevyanchenko (13-1, 10 KOs).

The IBF set a purse bid date of July 23 in case they hadn’t made a deal by then. However, Canelo’s promoters at Golden Boy Promotions reportedly haven’t contacted Derevyanchenko’s adviser Keith Connolly to start the negotiations for the fight, and it

Derevyanchenko wonders whether GGG will dodge fight against him

“Sergey Derevyanchenko tells @TheAthleticBOX: “I am expecting Canelo to avoid me and not give me a shot at the IBF-mandated title bout. Next in line in the rankings would be GGG. I’ll be anxious to see if he doesn’t fight Canelo in September if he would pass on fighting me again,” said @MikeCoppinger

It’s safe to say that Golovkin (39-1-1, 35 KOs) probably won’t take the fight with Derevyanchenko. Triple G passed on a fight against Sergiy last year when he was supposed to defend his IBF middleweight title against him. The IBF then stripped Gennady of his belt last year in June. Not long after that, Daniel Jacobs won the vacant IBF title in defeating Derevyanchenko by a 12 round split last October. Jacobs had no issues with taking the fight with Derevyanchenko, and he did a good job of out-punching him during key moments in the fight.

Canelo has a good excuse if he chooses not to fight Derevyanchenko

Golden Boy Promotions are trying to arrange a big fight between Canelo and WBO light heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev for September 14 on DAZN. That’s a fight that is a much bigger one than a Canelo-Derevyanchenko fight. Canelo will have an excuse if he decides not to face Derevyanchenko, and instead challenges Kovalev for his WBO 175 pound title.READ  IBF to order Canelo vs. Derevyanchenko purse bid

Unfortunately, Derevyananchenko hasn’t done anything with his career to make him a viable opponent for Canelo. The one time Derevyanchenko stepped it up against a good opponent in Jacobs, he lost. It was a close fight, but he still lost.

Golovkin vs. Jamie Munguia a possibility for October

It would be in Golovkin’s best interest to fight Derevyanchenko for the vacant IBF title, but it’s not likely he’ll take that fight. There’s been a lot of talk about Golovkin facing 22-year-old Munguia (33-0, 26 KOs) next October. It’s a fight that DAZN would be pleased to put on their network, as it would bring in a lot of subscriptions.

Golovkin, 37, wouldn’t be moving down in weight to fight Munguia for his World Boxing Organization 154 pound title. That’s not happening. It would be a regular non-title fight unless one of the sanctioning bodies wants to put up one of their interim belts for Golovkin and Munguia to fight over. It’s hard not to imagine the WBC having GGG and Munguia scrap it out for one of their many titles they have.

Derevyanchenko will face highest ranked contender if Canelo and GGG don’t face him

The next in line for Derevyanchenko to fight for the IBF middleweight title would be Kamil Szeremeta, if GGG and Canelo don’t fight him. Derevyanchenko will have a very good chance of winning that fight, and capturing the IBF title. Derevyanchenko reportedly will then look to fight WBC middleweight champion Jermall Charlo in a unification fight as soon as possible after he wins the IBF belt. Charlo and Derevyanchenko are both with Premier Boxing Champions, so the fight makes a lot of sense. It would be an easy match to make.

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